The following installment is part six of our Alumni series, Albertus Small Business Saturday. Please view the corresponding social media posts on Instagram and Meta. Are you an Albertus alumna or alumnus who owns a small business? Click here to be our next feature!
Albertus Small Business Saturday: The Story of Sarah Thuerling Jones ’13, ’18 M.A., LPC and Ember and Bloom Counseling.
Creating space for healing, authenticity, and inclusion is at the heart of Sarah Thuerling Jones’s mission, and it’s the soul of her practice, Ember and Bloom Counseling.
As the founder of this unique and values-driven mental health practice, Sarah is building more than just a business. She’s building a community. Ember and Bloom specializes in LGBTQIA+ affirming care, trauma-informed therapy, and creative healing modalities like art therapy for individuals ages 12 and up.
A Journey Fueled by Heart, Healing, and Hope
The path to launching Ember and Bloom Counseling wasn’t a linear one. For Sarah, it was personal: “Starting Ember and Bloom was a deeply personal journey, one that grew from my passion to create a space where people could show up exactly as they are and feel genuinely supported,” she shares. “I wanted to do therapy differently—with more warmth, more realness, and more heart.”
After gaining experience in a variety of clinical settings, Sarah saw an opportunity to create something new: a place where both clients and clinicians could feel safe, seen, and empowered. Ember and Bloom became that vision realized—a practice rooted in safety, authenticity, and inclusion.
The Albertus Impact: Where Passion Found Purpose
Sarah’s professional journey began at Albertus, where she initially enrolled as an art major. It was during her time in the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling program that she discovered her true calling:
“It was an incredibly challenging program in the best way, and it pushed me to grow in ways I didn’t expect,” Sarah recalls. “The two co-chairs of the department (Dr. Ragaa Mazen and Mr. Jerome Nevins, M.F.A.) were especially influential. They helped shape my path and gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going.”
Sarah also found community at Albertus—one that still supports her personally and professionally to this day. She states: “Some of my closest relationships came from that program. It gave me the tools and the heart to create something like Ember and Bloom.”
Advice for Aspiring Albertus Entrepreneurs
Sarah’s advice to future small business owners? Build something that feels like you.
“It’s easy to get caught up in what a business is ‘supposed’ to look like, but the magic really happens when your values, personality, and purpose are at the center,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to do things differently, especially if it means creating something more human, more kind, or more meaningful.”
Sarah also stresses the importance of staying connected to your support system: “I wouldn’t be where I am without the people who believed in me, even when I was still figuring it all out.”
And finally, she reminds fellow Falcons: “You don’t have to have it all figured out right away. Take your time. Trust your gut. And give yourself permission to grow as you go.”
Looking Ahead: Creating Opportunities for the Next Generation
Ember and Bloom Counseling is currently hiring, and Sarah is open to connecting with Albertus students about internships or other opportunities in the mental health field. She’s passionate about helping others discover their own paths, just as others helped her discover hers.
Whether you’re a student exploring a career in counseling or an alumna or alumnus dreaming of starting your own practice, Sarah’s story is a powerful example of what happens when healing, purpose, and creativity come together in service of something greater.
Ready to connect or learn more?
Visit the Ember and Bloom Counseling website HERE or contact Sarah Thuerling Jones, LPC at sarahjones@emberandbloomcounseling.com (be sure to mention you are part of the Albertus Magnus College family).